HELP US MAKE A BIG SPLASH!Late in 2015 Leeds City Council announced they had to dispose of the public outdoor swimming pool in Wharfemeadows Park, Otley, West Yorkshire. Immediately we sprang into action. The Otley Lido was built in 1924 and ran as an outdoor pool until it was sadly closed in 1993. Since then it was filled in and has developed into a neglected eyesore just waiting to be restored as an outdoor swimming pool to be used for many years to come. The Friends of Otley Lido formed and have been working at our project to restore our Lido ever since. We are a determined bunch of professional, committed volunteers with a shared passion to restore our Otley Lido. We have tirelessly baked cakes, sold plants, donned silly outfits, attended professional forums, submitted project bids and engaged a following of some 25,000+ on social media but we need funds.

Otley is a growing town of some 14,000 residents. It has limited facilities for the growing population and in particular the younger generation. A new all year round leisure facility would be a fantastic benefit to the community residents, young and old and of all abilities promoting year round health and well being for their benefit. We desperately need this facility for our community and to encourage visitors to our town and local businesses. We need this for our town in the North of England where funding tends to be overlooked.

We listed as a Community Interest Company all volunteers and each bringing skills to the organisation. We have spent the last two years doing everything we can to draw in funding and support for our project but need these funds to get us to the planning phase. To win this Aviva Community Funding we would complete our needs to pay for the specialist firms that we have commissioned through architects and associated professionals. These specialist are critical for us to pursue the larger funding we will need to make this possible. We have worked closely with our professionals in the last 2 years without cost to them, delivering our amazing plans (see the pictures) and realizing this will happen but only with financial support.

As a not for profit company registered with Companies House we have accountability to the community and our funding sources. All monies raised go towards this project and we are all volunteers and do not receive any remuneration.

We are passionate about our project to restore the outdoor pool, teaching children to swim, running classes for the elderly, facilitating swim clubs & competitions, or just becoming a place to relax and enjoy the beautiful setting.

Please see our Vision, the Mission and the Values we share:

Vision:Wharfedale’s greatest leisure facility.

Mission:To provide Otley with a high quality, self funding leisure facility that promotes health, well being and prosperity for our town and the wider community.

Values:• Accessible and inclusive• Enjoyable• State of the art• Environmentally sustainable• Collaboration and shared common values• Listens to the Community• Educational• Exemplar employer• Progressive• Financially sustainable and adaptable

Our project has made many locals remember their childhood days back in the pool:

• Phil says he met his wife Carol at the pool in 1969 and this year will be their ruby wedding anniversary.

• Ken Carter, Otley resident and supporter of Friends of the Otley Lido, said: “I used to spend almost the whole of the summer holidays at the Lido, as a boy, into mid-teens. 7/6d (37.5p) for a season ticket in mid/late-60s was incredible value for money for the endless hours of enjoyment that was had there, regardless of the weather conditions."

Please help us make this happen for our town and vote for our project.Together we can make a Big Splash - and we will!Website:www.otleylido.comEmail: friendsofotleylido@gmail.comtwitter: Otley_LidoInstagram: otleylidoFacebook: friendsofotleylido